The city of the channels is fed up with tourists who treat Venice as a boxing stop, and now slapping them with another toll to treat the floating city like a food court.
As of Friday, the day, hikers who “eat and flee”, a phrase that officials use for tourists who pack their lunch, take a selfie and Dittch without spending a ten cents once again I have to pay an entrance fairy To walk through the historical streets of Venice.
The controversial position was First presented last year And now he is back with revenge, and an increase in prices for procrastinators.
Reserve your visit to the last minute? It will be 10 euros, approximately $ 10.65, instead of five.
The objective? Less free chargers and more respect for a city that literally sinks under the weight of mass tourism.
“It is a very important instrument that no other city has,” said Venice Chief of Tourism, Simone Venturini, in a interview The New York Times, promoting the rate as a filter and a financial cushion.
It is “a good tool to explain to the world that Venice is unique and fragile and that tourism for Venice must be more respectful,” he said.
The measure is part of a broader repression, since Venice struggles to prevent his cultural soul from drowning in Gondola’s stagnation.
The city already prohibits the cruises of the Lagoon, CAPS Tour groups in 25 people, Nixes Megaphones and uses security cameras and cell phone data to track the tourist movement: a Big Brother -style systems system compared to “mass surveillance.”
But some say that the rate is not implied.
An internal review found that “there were no significant fluctuations between the days in what was provided by the access rate and those of what was not.”
In fact, officials noticed in the Times, that “greater assistance was recorded on the days when the trial was active.”
Ultimately, tourists paid, and they still took.
“This shows what was obvious from the beginning: a complex city cannot be governed as Venice turning the city into a theme park with an entrance rate,” said Mónica Sambo, a member of the opposition of the City Council, to The Outlet.
He asked for a more structured strategy, including limits in day triping numbers and a better regulation of short -term rentals.
“This is a bad image for Venice … I mean, are we joking?” Matteo Secchi activist Smoked last year When the fairy was floated for the first time.
“All they are doing is transforming it into a theme park.”
Even UNESCO has intervened, warning that Venice could end in its in danger of extinction if it does not have its tourist problem under control.
A delegation will review the situation this July in Paris.
Despite the violent reaction, the authorities say that the The rate is working -To to bring some very necessary euros.
Last year, the program obtained around $ 3.2 million, must or that is customary to cover operating costs.
This year, the number of days that the rate is almost doubled, from 30 to 54, hoping to prevent crowds from flooding during peak hours.
Even so, not everyone has to pony. Guests during the night are exempt, since they already pay a daily tourist tax.
The premises, the workers, the students and those who visit the family also get a pass, provided they are registered for a QR code.
And the whole scheme is returning the heads beyond Italy.
In accordance with a city representative who Spoke with Business Insider“Several institutional organizations, both in Italy and International, have contacted the city of Venice to obtain a deeper understanding of the [fee]. ”
According to reports, cities such as Kyoto, Zermatt and Formentera are watching closely.
But for many Venetians, the battle is not only Doubtful tourists In Speedos or Gondolas of tip while taking selfies, it is about claiming its area to become a European Disneyland.
“The city should have other priorities,” said Sambo, “as policies to promote affordable housing and employment opportunities that would counteract tourist monoculture.”
This year, the days of rates will almost be doubled from 30 to 54 to administer maximum crowds. Guests during the night are exempt as they pay a daily tourist tax. The premises, workers, students and family visitors can also omit the rate if they are registered for a QR code. Getty images
For now, if you want to hit the beauty of the Plaza de San Marcos or pose on the Rialto bridge, it better brings some extra bread, or runs the risk of being beaten with fines of up to $ 310.
Mangia and move on? Not without paying first.
